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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. mark — a grade
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. mark — a trace
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. kick — in football
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. stock — shares

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com